Knife splashing

Chapter 194 Ancient City Blood Case

On the bed, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes.

He stood up, took the Dust-Breaking Sword and walked to the window, opened a crack and looked out.

He was not unfamiliar with the sound of the gong.

Every prefecture, city, and county in the Daxuan Dynasty was equipped with night watchmen who walked around at night. They not only beat the time, but also patrolled and gave warnings.

For example, if there is a fire in the middle of the night, or thieves or thefts, the gong must be sounded to give warning.

There is no fire in the city, so there must be some crime.

Sure enough, not long after, a fire appeared in the distance.

In the misty drizzle, torches flickered and people's voices were noisy.

When traveling in the world, whether you are a businessman or a martial artist, you have to be vigilant, so many people in the inn were awakened.

Soon, there was a knock on the door.

Li Yan opened the door and saw Sha Lifei, who looked sleepy.

"Is everything alright here?"

"It's okay, what happened?"

"I heard there was a murder in the city, and it caused quite a stir."

"Oh." Li Yan nodded after hearing this, and said calmly: "Tell everyone not to meddle in other people's business. This has nothing to do with us."

It's not that he is indifferent, but this kind of thing is too common.

This is not a remote countryside, so a murder would be a big deal.

Canal transport docks have been numerous since ancient times.

There were not only fights in the underworld, but also many murders due to disputes over money.

Matters like this will be handled by the government.

They are both people of the underworld and Taoist magicians. If they get involved in it, it will inevitably arouse suspicion. It is best to stay out of it.

Sha Lifei was an old hand, so he naturally knew what to do. He said something to Lu San and Wang Daoxuan who had just woken up, then went back to his room to rest and ignored them.

After days of traveling, they were all a little tired. In addition, the continuous drizzle made it unsuitable for travel, so they simply took a good rest.

I slept until mid-morning.

After waking up, I was naturally full of energy, but my stomach was empty and I felt very uncomfortable.

Sharifei immediately called the waiter and asked, "Ask if there is any delicious breakfast here?"

The waiter smiled and said excitedly, "Of course, our breakfast specialty is Yunyang Sanhe Soup."

"The so-called Yunyang Sanhe Soup is something you will miss if you don't eat it for one meal. Judging from your accents, you should be from Shanzhou. If you come here and don't try it, you will be missing out."

"There is an old Wu's shop in the east of the city. Sanhetang is the most famous in Shangjin. In the past, there was a long queue, but you guys got up late, so there won't be many people there."

Sharifei said happily: "You are quite good at bragging, you have said so much, we must go and try it."

Li Yan, who has always been greedy, naturally had no objection.

The few of them left the inn and walked along the wet street. After a while, they arrived at the Wu's old store that the waiter had mentioned.

The shop faces the street. It has old blue bricks and tiles, carved wooden doors, and door panels with a thick layer of patina, which shows that it is quite old.

The fragrance hits you before you even enter.

After seeing it, Li Yan nodded with satisfaction. Although it was a small folk restaurant, it was at least clean.

There is a saying in Taoism that most people with nasal supernatural powers have mysophobia.

The same is true for him. There are some corners and corners that ordinary people cannot notice, but he has a keen sense of smell and cannot hide them at all.

If there is something dirty, moldy or smelly, it is simply unbearable for him. No matter how delicious the food is, he will turn away.

This store is very clean.

However, Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly, looked at a depression at the base of the opposite wall, and saw traces of incense ash underneath. He immediately pulled Li Yan's sleeve and gave him a look.

Li Yan took one look and immediately understood.

This shop probably has things for offering.

In the Xuanmen, whether it is to support immortals, raise poisonous insects, or raise little ghosts, a clean environment is needed to prevent disturbance from foreign air.

Otherwise, over time, the offerings will also be affected.

Raising poisonous insects and releasing ghosts is not uncommon, and many Taoist sects know how to do it. However, the imperial court strictly prohibits the raising and releasing of poisonous insects among the people, and people in the Taoist sect are not allowed to teach this method to the common people.

This naturally has historical reasons.

This store is open for business and is located in an important water transport town. There are many people coming and going, and there must be some Taoist magicians among them.

With such a high level of fanfare, it certainly couldn’t be hidden from experts.

Then there is only one possibility: to worship the household gods.

The custom of offering sacrifices to household gods exists in both the north and the south. They are equivalent to the guardian gods of the house. They are not ghosts, but a kind of small divine power.

Of course, it is not easy to nurture spirituality.

The true way to support the household gods is to observe the precepts.

This method is common in both Buddhism and Taoism. For example, if one wants to practice a certain special method in Taixuan Zhengjiao, one must first observe the precepts, such as the Cave God Precepts, the Three Altars Precepts, the Killing Precepts, the Zhongji Precepts...

There are many types, and the stricter the rhythm, the more powerful the method.

The representative of Buddhism is the Vinaya school, which attaches great importance to the transmission of precepts.

Offering sacrifices to the household gods is called family rules and traditions.

If the atmosphere in the family is not right and people's hearts are not kind, even if they observe the precepts but evil thoughts develop, the things they offer as offerings will harm others.

This company has already grown to a certain size, so I guess they are honest in their business.

And there must be someone from the Xuanmen giving guidance.

Sure enough, there was a small shrine in the backyard, with dim candlelight and lingering fragrance. On the tablet were clearly written the words "Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents, and Teacher".

This tablet has become a little dark due to the influence of incense, and is obviously very old, but it is very clean, which shows that it is wiped frequently.

In front of the altar, an old woman was praying with her hands folded.

Just as Li Yan and others stepped over the threshold, the incense head suddenly flickered and burned violently, and in the blink of an eye it became three inches shorter.

The old woman who was praying suddenly changed her expression. She stood up and hurried to the front hall. When she saw Li Yan and others, her eyes were full of vigilance. She bowed carefully and asked, "Why are you here, guests?"

As Li Yan's Taoism improved, his supernatural powers also increased. Based on the changes in smell, he could tell what was going on in the store.

He knew it was the house god's warning, so he smiled and shook his head, saying, "Don't be afraid, shop owner. We are just passing by here. We heard that the Wu family's old shop has good skills, so we came to try the Sanhe soup."

“It’s all the help from the neighbors…”

The old woman said something polite, but with a look of vigilance in her eyes, she quickly ran to the kitchen and started working herself, working with the two waiters.

Soon, the hot Sanhe soup was served.

Li Yan took a quick look and saw that the three-in-one soup contained vermicelli, beef dumplings, and braised beef slices, sprinkled with chopped green onions and dried chilies. It looked very appetizing.

"Sure enough!"

He took a few sips and found the soup delicious. The herbs in it could dispel cold and refresh the mind. He immediately praised it highly.

The northern and southern cuisines are indeed exquisite, but the local snacks have a more down-to-earth flavor.

Seeing that the old woman was still a little scared, Li Yan had no choice but to make it clear: "Don't worry, we are all upright people and have no ill intentions. I'm sure someone has given you this advice, right?"

He had already seen that the old woman was just an ordinary person.

To support the household gods, one must strictly follow the taboos.

Perhaps because she saw his kind attitude and Wang Daoxuan beside her had an immortal look, the old woman felt a little relieved and nodded, saying, "It was taught by an immortal who passed by Yunyang Prefecture."

"At that time, the shop was still run by my father. Because of his honest business, he had some reputation. Someone was jealous and wanted to take over my shop. Fortunately, the immortal found him and rescued him."

"Pass this method down so that I, an orphan and my widowed mother, can be prepared."

Li Yan smiled slightly and said no more.

To be honest, this kind of behavior is difficult to evaluate.

If the real method is passed on to ordinary people, once they break the taboo, such as their descendants committing crimes or having evil intentions, something bad will most likely happen.

The bad Feng Shui of the house is a minor matter. If it is not handled properly, it may cause death. Wang Daoxuan has dealt with such a matter before. However, it is rare that the old woman can worship the house god so effectively. After all, human hearts are too fickle.

Just then, footsteps were heard outside.

I saw a group of soldiers carrying long guns running through the rain, and in twos and threes, they went door to door to check.

"Have you seen any strangers recently?"

"Where were you last night?"

Shouts were heard along with the sound of breaking pottery jars and cries for mercy.

Seeing this, the old woman next to him hesitated for a moment, then quickly reminded him in a low voice: "Last night, the family of Mr. Hu, the richest man in Shangjin City, was brutally murdered, and all the wealth in the house was lost. I'm afraid that things may not be going well."

Before he could finish his words, three soldiers walked into the store.

Shangjin Town was an important water transport town and was also designated as a county-level town.

There is not only a county government office here, but also a small garrison with about three hundred soldiers.

The leader, Xiaoqi, seemed to know the shop owner. He nodded slightly and said hello, "Don't be afraid, Aunt Wu."

Then, he looked at Li Yan and the others, his eyes full of vigilance, "Who are you?"

Before he could finish his words, a soldier beside him hurried forward, pulled him aside and whispered to him. It was the soldier who met Li Yan when he was guarding the gate yesterday.

Hearing that they were warlocks, the leading flag bearer's pupils shrank, but he still gritted his teeth and asked, "Where were you last night?"

Li Yan replied directly: "I rested at the inn last night, and the owner of Xiangfu Inn can prove it."

The leader was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Something happened in the city, so you'd better not leave casually in the next two days."

After saying that, he turned around and left with his men.

Looking at the other person's back, Sharifei was somewhat speechless. "It's just a murder case, what does it have to do with us!"

"Don't be surprised, my dear guests." The shop owner, Aunt Wu, suddenly said, "That Mr. Hu is not a simple person. He is not only the richest man in Shangjin, but also has a relationship with the Lord of Yunyang Prefecture."

"With such a big case, everyone from the county government to the garrison will probably have trouble. You'd better not provoke them."

"Thank you."

Li Yan and Sharifei looked at each other and both understood what the proprietress meant.

After returning to the inn, Sharifei immediately cursed, "According to what the landlady said, the county lieutenants and guards here are not honest people. They might be eager to complete their tasks and find someone to take the blame. What should we do if they find out about it?"

It's no wonder they are vigilant, this kind of thing happens all the time.

People in the underworld walk between good and evil. Although there are some who are chivalrous and stand up for justice, there are also some who cheat, murder and rob.

In operas, people praise the heroes of the outlaw world, but in reality, they always stay away from people of the outlaw world.

The same is true for the government. When they encounter major cases, they are sometimes unable to solve them, so in desperation they will arrest underworld figures to fill in the gaps.

Before he finished speaking, Li Yan waved his hand, indicating that someone was coming and asked him not to say anything more.

Boom boom boom!
Sure enough, there was a knock on the door.

Sharifei stepped forward and opened the door, only to see an official standing outside, wearing a blue robe and a black hat, followed by two constables.

Sharifei felt overwhelmed when he saw this, and said gloomily, "What happened last night has nothing to do with us. You have found the wrong person!"

"Please don't misunderstand me."

The blue-robed official was thin and had a goatee. He clasped his fists and said, "I am Guo Luqing, the local county lieutenant. I heard that you are orthodox sorcerers from Shanzhou, so I came to pay you a visit."

"I'm sure you've all heard about last night's case. There's something fishy about it. I'd like to ask you to help me find out if anyone is using evil magic to harm people."

Li Yan frowned, "Isn't there a temple here?"

Shangjin City is not big. Although there is no City God Temple, there is a Land God Temple and a Buddhist temple that can be seen through the window.

County Lieutenant Guo was somewhat helpless. "Several sorcerers in the city have looked at it, but they are not very skilled and didn't see anything."

"Please help me, if you find anything, the court will reward you handsomely!"

If you just want to help out, that's fine.

The local county lieutenant came personally to ask for help, and Li Yan and others could not refuse, so they followed them to a large mansion in the east of the city.

The entire alley here has been blocked, and the curious people are stopped from going outside, sticking their heads out, and whispering.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way, everyone!"

The soldiers shouted a few times and the people dispersed.

"Guys, please come inside."

County Magistrate Guo raised his hand and invited Li Yan and others in.

The people behind were whispering.

"Look, here comes another one."

"He looks a little unfamiliar, is he an outsider?"

"Even Master Kuxin can't do anything about it, what can they see!"

Li Yan and others didn't care. Led by County Lieutenant Guo, they entered the mansion.

As soon as they entered the door, several people looked solemn.

The yard was covered in blood, washed away by the drizzle and flowing everywhere.

In the main hall of the front yard of the mansion, more than 20 corpses were neatly arranged, all covered with white cloth, some large and some small.

The youngest one, judging from its outline, is actually just a baby in swaddling clothes.

"Damn, that's so cruel!"

Sharifei cursed and said, "Even if you are trying to make money in the underworld, there are rules. Those who easily kill an entire family will be guarded against wherever they go."

"He even didn't spare babies. He must be a robber!"

“This was not done by anyone else.”

County Lieutenant Guo shook his head slightly, looked at the crowd and said in a deep voice: "All of them were killed by Mr. Hu himself. The night watchman found something wrong and raised the alarm."

"We have checked and found that Mr. Hu killed his entire family and slit his own throat in the yard. Later, someone broke into the mansion and looted all the gold, silver and treasures. That's why we suspect someone used magic to harm people."

Li Yan and the others looked at each other.

Hearing this, there are indeed many strange things.

Li Yan sniffed and carefully identified the smell in the mansion.

Apart from the smell of blood, the smell here is extremely mixed, and it rained yesterday, so even if there was any smell left by the thieves in the air, it has dissipated.

More importantly, there was no unusual smell.

He turned to look at Wang Daoxuan and shook his head slightly.

Wang Daoxuan understood immediately, and he went forward and flipped over several corpses. He took out talismans from his arms, pinched his fingers to gather his energy on each talisman, then took out a single talisman and tapped it on Mr. Hu's forehead.

Then, he lit them all, mixed the talisman ashes into the water, stirred it, lightly touched it with his fingers, put it in his mouth to taste it, and shook his head:
"There are indeed no signs of magic."

"That's it."

County Lieutenant Guo frowned, with a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

Li Yan and others knew what he was planning as soon as they saw it.

If this was someone casting a spell to harm someone, then they would be much less responsible.

After all, it was a matter of Xuanmen, and the Shangjin City government didn't notice it, it was just a matter of ability, but if the gangsters sneaked in to commit the crime...

Then there is no way to avoid taking the blame.

Sharifei chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Master Guo, I'm sorry, we are just traveling sorcerers and we are not good at investigating cases."

Saying this means you are preparing to leave.

Li Yan certainly didn't know how to investigate the case. Although he looked down on the murderer for his cruelty, the rain washed away the smell and he really couldn't help much, so he said goodbye and turned around.

But at this moment, the hook in his arms suddenly felt hot.

Then, thick fog rose around, and Li Yan was stunned.

Is this... coming to life?

(End of this chapter)